


Down this Chain of Days

by Telesilla



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe, Character of Color, Community: sticksnsnark, F/M, Future Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-03-14
Updated: 2008-03-14
Packaged: 2017-10-04 07:26:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Telesilla/pseuds/Telesilla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Rodney and Teyla work together, play together and Rodney does some problem solving that has nothing to do with physics.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Down this Chain of Days

"Rodney." Teyla nudged Rodney in the arm and smiled a little indulgently as he flailed and tried to turn over. "Rodney, it is time to get up."

"Nungh..."

She nudged him again. "Rodney, it is Thursday."

"God," he said, his eyes opening to mere slits. He peered up at her. "I never could...."

"...get the hang of Thursdays," she finished. Their private ritual now complete, she sat up and looked down at him. "Do not make me nudge you again."

"You're abusive." He frowned at her as she snorted. "No, really, I'm living out some goddamned Lifetime special."

"If you say so," she said. Certain he was awake, Teyla got out of bed and headed for the bathing room.

A few minutes later, just as she finished washing her face, Rodney joined her, blinking at his image in the mirror. "My God, it looks like Sheppard's." He ran his fingers through his hair, which she had to admit was almost as tufted as John's.

"It is impressive."

"More like ridiculous." He grumbled some more and she left him to it, knowing he'd want to spend time poking at his hairline, trying to figure out if it had retreated further in his sleep.

* * *

They had just settled down to breakfast with Ronon and Elizabeth when John came in, looking tired. He got a tray and joined them, and as he dug into his food Teyla exchanged a look with Elizabeth.

"John, it is a work day for Rodney and me. Perhaps you would like to join us?"

She had hoped John would enjoy a chance to do some simple, physical labor, but he shook his head. "No, I'm flying a group to the fishing grounds up north."

"Fish for dinner would be great," Rodney said. "Try to bring back some of those weird gray ones that taste like salmon."

"Anything else you want me to pick up while I'm out?" John's voice was sharp with sarcasm, but the corners of his eyes crinkled up as he looked at Rodney.

"Bagels and some cream cheese," Rodney said. "We can always smoke the gray fish."

"Bagels," Elizabeth said, a little dreamily. "I wonder if anyone here knows how to make them?"

"What's a bagel?" Ronon asked.

While Elizabeth and Rodney explained it, Teyla turned to John. "Are you well?" she asked quietly, knowing that he wouldn't give her any real kind of answer, but needing to ask anyway.

"Tired," he said, "but I'm okay."

* * *

"I don't think he's okay," Rodney said as they walked down the lane. "I don't know if he'll ever be okay."

"Give him time," Teyla said, and Rodney sighed.

"Yeah. I just...you know."

And she did know; even now she still felt a little embarrassed at how long it had taken her to understand just how much Rodney cared about the people around him. Reaching out, she took his hand. "We can only do so much."

"Yeah," he said again.

They walked along in silence for a while and then Rodney smiled a crooked little smile. "So, what's on the agenda for this particular Thursday?"

* * *

For the first hour, they worked in silence. Teyla wasn't sure if Rodney was still turning the problem of John's restless unhappiness over in his head or if he'd moved further back and was, yet again, trying to figure out how he could have saved the city. She knew better than to say anything; he always came to the same conclusion, the one they'd come to a year and a half ago when the loss of Atlantis in exchange for the lives of everyone in the city and the destruction of the last five hive ships in the Pegasus Galaxy had been the only real option.

When Rodney spoke, she jumped slightly. _John and Rodney are not the only ones who spend a little too much time in the past._

"Is it time to take a break?" he asked, eying her with big hopeful eyes.

"It has only been an hour." She sat back on her heels and redid the end of her braid.

"Feels like much more than an hour," he said, leaning on his hoe. "Did you remember to use the sunscreen?"

She reassured him and as he went back to breaking up clods of earth, he began talking about making more sunscreen and how he was going to have to break down and talk to an herbalist next time he went to one of the off-world markets. "Might as well consult with a medieval witch, really, but there's not much for it. I wonder if someday the fact that we power our computers with the ZPM while depending on herbal salves to keep from getting skin cancer will seem less jarring."

"Sondra knows a fair amount about the herbs on this world. Perhaps you should speak to her first," Teyla said and then smiled when he looked at her blankly. "Lt. Meadows?"

"Oh, does she? Huh. I wonder if we could come up with something here and use it as a trade item. Obviously, until recently, people have had other things to worry about, but honestly, I think this galaxy needs to think more about UV protection." He frowned down at the dark soil they were working in as if it were to blame for the lack of concern about skin cancer and Teyla had to laugh.

"Please don't ever stop laughing at me." He gave her one of his sudden bright smiles. "You, more than anyone else I've ever met, keep me from taking myself too seriously." Ducking his head a little the way he always did after emotional declarations, he went back to his work.

It was almost impossible to see the man he'd been when they first met, she thought as she looked up at him. Time and hard physical work, first in the field with the team and then here on their new home, had made him leaner, but there was more to it than that. Even with the loss of the city, they were still a community, and not only was Rodney a valued member of that community, he was genuinely liked. Even though it still surprised him, it made him stand taller.

"What?" he said as she stared up at him.

"I am...what is the phrase Elizabeth uses? 'Admiring the view?'"

"Elizabeth's view is more admirable than yours, I'm afraid."

"I do not agree," she said and then smiled at him.

"You're giving me that look," he said, and before she could pretend to be innocent and ask him what he was talking about, he knelt down next to her. "_That_ look," he repeated, reaching for her.

His big hands were dirty and callused from guns and tools, and she shivered a little as he gripped her upper arms and pulled her close. That was another thing about him that had changed, she thought as he began to kiss her hard. He'd been so tentative with her at first, treating her as if she were made of glass and would shatter if he so much as breathed on her the wrong way.

"No one else is scheduled to work in this field today," she said a little breathlessly when they finally pulled apart.

"Are you suggesting that we....?" His eyes went a little wide and he looked around. "Right here?"

"Yes," she said, glad she could still shock him just a little.

It was her turn to pull him close, and she breathed in deep as she did, smelling dirt and sunshine and sweat on him. She ran her hands up to his broad shoulders, pushing him back and paying no attention to the vague protests he mumbled. He didn't mean them; his hands were just as busy as hers and she arched against him as he swept them down her back.

"Right here, right now," she said, sitting back so she could squirm out of her pants. As he watched her, smiling broadly, she unlaced and then removed her shirt.

"God," he said as she undid his pants and pulled them and his boxers down just enough so that she could reach his cock. "Oh God, Teyla...."

With one last quick glance around, he reached out and tried to pull her over him, but she resisted, twisting out of his grasp and crouching over him. She gripped his hips and bent down to lick a broad stripe from the base of his cock to the head. Groaning, he dug his fingers into the dirt and held himself still as she licked and nuzzled him. He smelled even better here and she thought about finishing it this way, or maybe even turning around and letting him bring her off at the same time with his mouth.

But no, she wanted to feel him inside her, so with one last lick, she sat up and straddled his hips, bending down to kiss him. His hands were cool and damp with fresh earth as he took hold of her, his palms cradling her hips and his fingers spread wide across her ass. Catching his eyes, she smiled as she positioned herself over his cock and sank down, and oh yes, this was what she'd wanted, the thick press of him inside her and the firm, solid presence of his body beneath hers.

"Teyla...oh fuck," he moaned, his hands tightening on her ass. He brought his knees up a little, planted his feet on the ground and began to move with her, easily matching her rhythm as they both panted and groaned.

She waited until he was close, until she knew he was barely hanging on, before she slid a hand between them. For a moment, she let her fingers slide over his cock as it moved into her, and then she began to work her clit while his hands went tight enough on her ass that she knew she'd have bruises. "Rodney," she gasped as she came hard, her cunt going tight around him. "Rodney!"

He bucked into her three more times, sparking an aftershock that rippled through her as he came, gasping out nonsense words. He'd barely recovered before he was guiding her, pulling her down to rest on him.

For a surprisingly long moment, they were both quiet, Rodney kissing her forehead and hair. Finally, she felt him take a breath and knew exactly what was coming. "Okay, I'm sorry but my ass is getting uncomfortably damp here. And probably dirty too."

Laughing, she rolled off him and watched as he sat up with a wince. "I hope there aren't any bugs, because honestly, the last thing I need is a positive answer when people ask what crawled up my ass and died." He was trying almost too hard to look indignant as she continued to laugh.

"Heartless woman," he muttered, digging in his pocket. He produced a handkerchief and handed it to her. "Just in case you want to clean up."

"Thank you," she said, reaching out to the side of the field where she'd left their canteen.

"You looked like some kind of earth goddess or something," he said, sitting up and stretching.

"Thank you," she said again, leaning toward him and resting a hand on his cheek. "I do not think I have ever had this much fun readying a field for planting."

"I don't suppose we can say we're done?"

"No," she said, "but, if it helps, I reserved the private tub in the bathhouse for us this evening."

* * *

That evening, after a dinner that included the gray fish that Rodney liked so much, they sat in the big tub and relaxed, drinking pale berry wine from M93-X27.

"Sometimes I feel almost guilty for being this happy," Rodney said after a long silence. Teyla knew he was thinking of John again, but before she could say anything, Rodney put an arm around her and pulled her close. "But really, why shouldn't I be happy? I've got you and my lab and there're the plans for a school and there's still a whole galaxy out there...." His voice trailed off and he snapped his fingers. "I'm an idiot!"

"Now that is something I never hear from you. What are you thinking?"

"We should go out there again. As a team." He gave her a slightly uncertain look. "Do you think...?"

"I think," she said, giving him a smile, "that you are not an idiot and that John is not the only restless one. I think we all miss it."

"Well, I don't know that I miss getting shot at or chased by large hungry creatures or having to sit through endless ceremonies...." She looked at him and he sighed. "Oh, all right, I guess I'm a little restless too."

* * *

Two weeks later, Teyla smiled as they settled into their familiar places in Jumper One. It felt good to be together as a team again. Ronon was grinning, and in front of her Rodney was explaining in great detail why he'd chosen P35-912 for their first mission. And, although he tried to hide it behind his usual calm expression, she could almost feel John's relief.

As the jumper rose off the ground in front of the gate, Rodney turned and looked at her, and she smiled at him, remembering his words.

_There's a still a whole galaxy out there...._

_-end-_

**Author's Note:**

> Originally this was just going to be for the prompt "emphasis on the physicality of *both* (through porn, sparring, etc, etc)" but then it grew a backstory, went to the AU place, and I realized it fit the third prompt as well--"I can say that I've lived here in honor and danger"--which is a line from "At Last" by Neko Case. The title is a lyric from the same song. Many thank yous to the speedy and excellent Queen of the Last Minute Betas, [](http://helens78.livejournal.com/profile)[**helens78**](http://helens78.livejournal.com/), and also to [](http://darkrosetiger.livejournal.com/profile)[**darkrosetiger**](http://darkrosetiger.livejournal.com/) for letting me bounce ideas off her.
> 
> Additional notes regarding the AU: I figure the history in this particular AU branched off from canon shortly before "Sunday" (because while I don't mention Carson, he's there). Things went very differently--for example, Teyla never got pregnant and the events of "First Strike" never happened so Elizabeth remained alive and in charge. While I don't have the exact years all figured out, they destroyed the city and the last hive ships in what would have been Season 6 or 7 and this story takes place roughly a year and a half after the Lanteans and the Athosians have settled on their new home. I find myself somewhat intrigued by this AU and it's entirely possible I will visit it again.
> 
> Also, there's a tiny homage to Douglas Adams' _Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ in here. Blink and you'll miss it.


End file.
